Monday, 19 June 2017

Yes, indeed. He's been kicked out of his territory by mom, who lives in the forest a few km to the north. He's just doing a walk-through, and seems to know we don't have any bird seed up anymore. That is my hope! He's not been into the garden, where we saw him before, after the bird seed (now gone).

The neighbours have reported him, too. They have had him on their front lawn, unresponsive to their yelling and gun fire.

They chased him away, he went to the back yard. Then he came back and ate an apple on their front yard. We're doing well with the marine horn.

He came back on the 15th, after my mid-May adventures. He's hungry, but he is an omnivore. The berries aren't out, yet, and grasses, grubs, fish, mammals, carrion, or insects are his food. He's just looking for food, and he seems to know we don't have any.
I saw one a few years ago, and it went through the forest and stripped bark off a cedar looking for insects. Last year, a bear kept knocking over my composter, so that's not being used, either!

He's doing a run around the house and he is avoiding the wetland, which is very wet! I know that we have bears throughout the summer, not as often as this, but I have seen their scat or tracks in the mud. They don't like the wetland.

Bears are fast (up to 30 mph), and amazing climbers. He hasn't been on the deck again, which is good. I BBQ'd yesterday and wondered! They can do horrible damage, if they know food is around. We have to be vigilant, and keep all potential food sources tucked away (e.g., garbage). The big deal is to keep the garage door closed, as that is where the bird seed is stored! He hasn't noticed there are birds nesting in the shed, either, as this would be a good food source. The phoebes fledged, just as Josephine (my grandie) and I took a peek, the robin's eggs will hatch next week.

Just as we thought things were going well, our family were visiting June 17th. In honour of the bear visit, we bought bear claws for dessert.

We're having dessert...hubby spots a momma and cub come by. We grabbed the marine horn my daughter bought us, and ran to the back. Next this little guy. It worked.

Cubs usually stay with their mother for 17 months (rarely 29 months). One to six days before the mothers are ready to mate in late May or June, they force their yearlings to stop traveling with them. They have litters (1 - 3 cubs) every two years.

Black bears are very opportunistic eaters. Most of their diet consists of grasses, roots, berries, and insects. They will also eat fish and mammals—including carrion—and easily develop a taste for human foods and garbage. Bears who become habituated to human food at campsites, cabins, or rural homes can become dangerous.

There used to be, Yam! They don't have funding. It's complicated to sedate and capture them, and where do they put them? Nuisance bears are usually shot in the city. This rural one might be headed in that direction. This young 'un is becoming habituated to people, and people's things. This is not normal. He is not afraid of being on lawns, as the female and cubs that went by. We blasted the horn and she took off. Any other years they've just skirted our property.

Love that hooter, didn't know it was a marine one..I need it down here when unwelcome people come up the drive!!! Do your garbage bins have secure lock down lids? And, yes, screen doors are no barrier for them, we had friends in Maine, with a fishing lodge, and bears came round the 'dumpsters" as he called them. Lock down heavy lids had to be used. Hugs to you all as you play and hoot away.XXX